Cars, parking and transport
Find out more about travelling between your accommodation and campus, and applying for a parking permit at your residence.
On this page
Bristol Unibus U1 - bus pass
A bus pass for the Bristol Unibus U1 service (term time only) is included in the accommodation fees for students who either live in undergraduate accommodation or mixed undergraduate-postgraduate accommodation. The bus pass is not available to students living in postgraduate only accommodation.
The bus pass gives you unlimited travel on the U1 service for the 2022/23 academic year (term time only) as well as free travel on First Bus services 3, 4 and 72 (throughout the academic year until 9 June 2023).
The U1 is a dedicated and frequent bus service that links the North Residential Village with the University's Cifton campus and Bristol city centre. Please note that this bus service does not link to the Langford campus. The bus service to Langford is Bristol Unibus U2 service.
The Bristol Unibus U1 bus pass is not included in the accommodation fees for students living in postgraduate only accommodation.
How to download your bus pass
Before you move into University accommodation, the Student Accommodation team will send you an email with instructions on how to download your bus pass. This email will also include your unique voucher code which you will need to download your bus pass on the First Bus app.
This information will also be available on the Accommodation Portal.
If you have any issues redeeming your unique vocuher code, please contact your Student Support Centre.
Upgrade to Bristol Zone ticket for just £60
You can upgrade to the city-wide Bristol Zone First Bus ticket for just £60. With this option you get unlimited travel on all First Bus services in the Bristol zone (excluding special event and airport flyer services) - whether it's term time or not.
To upgrade your bus pass, you need to select University of Bristol - Uni Year – (Bristol Zone) (£399) and at the checkout enter your unique voucher code. You can then buy this upgraded bus pass for just £60. The upgrade offer is available until 31 January 2023.
Further information can be found on the Bristol Unibus website.
Apply for a car parking permit
You should not bring a car to Bristol unless it is essential, for example because of a disability. Before bringing a vehicle to one of our residences, you must have successfully applied for a parking permit.
Who can apply?
Priority will be given to students who:
- are a Blue Badge holder (mobility impairment);
- have a disability or ill health that means they need the use of a car;
- have caring responsibilities that cannot be performed without a car; and
- have an academic placement for their course that can only be reached by car.
Permits will only be issued for cars that are adequately insured and taxed, and have an up-to-date MOT.
How to apply
To apply for a parking permit, you must:
- register for a student account with PermitSmarti;
- complete the Annual Student Permit online form. If you are asked to supply proof of residency, a copy of your accommodation agreement or invoice will be sufficient.
You will then be notified if your application has been successful.
Applications will be accepted from 7 September 2022 ready for the start of term, although the form will remain open for students who want to bring a car later in the year.
Your parking permit
Cost
Blue Badge holders will receive their permit free of charge.
All other students will be charged:
- £99 for North Residential Village annual permits;
- £179 for the West Residential Village annual permits.
When can I start using my parking space?
Annual permits are valid from 20 September 2022 to 9 July 2023.
You will not be able to park your car at your residence until after the main arrival dates of 15-19 September 2022 because all the spaces will be used for students who are moving in.
We also offer fixed-term permits:
- Spring/Summer permit: valid from 6 January 2023 to 9 July 2023
- Summer permit: valid from 15 April 2023 to 9 July 2023
Where will my parking space be?
No permits are available for East Village residences. Applications from residents in our city centre properties will be considered but if you are offered a permit, it is likely to be within the North Residential Village where more spaces are available.
Summer vacation parking
If you are staying in University accommodation over the summer, you have the option of extending your parking permit with our summer top-up, which is valid from 9 July 2023 to 20 September 2023.
Contact us
If you have a question about residence parking permits, email residences-carparking@bristol.ac.uk.
Visitor parking
Anyone wishing to park at a University residence, even for a short while, needs to pay for visitor parking.
Parking terms and conditions
All parking in our residences is subject to the residential parking student terms and conditions (PDF, 213kB) and our Residences car parking policy (PDF, 849kB).